Portable Child Seat

ABSTRACT

A portable children&#39;s child seat for an adult seat such as a chair, church pew, bench, or structure with a seat-like configuration. The child seat has a bottom, a back, a frame, a belt, a tray, a closing strap, a hood and an attachment mechanism for securing the child seat to an adult seat. The child seat has a deployed position where it is ready for occupation by a child, and a compact position where a child seat bottom and a child seat tray are in a raised position.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 61/091,968 filed on Aug. 26, 2008.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to portable seats, specifically portable seats forchildren.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The seats normally used by adults are often not appropriate for use byyoung children. Young children may not properly be secured or supportedin an adult seat. Such adult seats may not be properly sized toaccommodate the needs of young children.

The present inventor recognizes the need for a collapsible portablechild seat that is appropriate in many adult seat applications includingon a church pew and a park bench. The present inventor recognizes theneed for a child seat that is light weight and carriable in one hand.The present inventor recognizes the need for a child seat that isadjustably securable to an adult seat, including a chair, pew, stadiumseating, movie theatre seating, or sitting surface. The present inventorrecognizes the need for a child seat, that once adjusted for aparticular adult seat, retains that adjustment so repeated uses do notrequire repeated re-adjustment. The present inventor recognizes the needfor a comfortable child seat that secures the child and provides amultipurpose tray.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a portable child seat for an adult seat, such asa chair, church pew, bench, stadium seating, movie theatre seating, orstructure with a seat-like configuration. The child seat has a deployedposition where it is ready for occupation by a child, and a compactposition where the child seat is conveniently configured for moving ortransporting the child seat. In a compact position a user is able tocarry the child seat with one hand by hooks, so that the user's otherhand is free for handling a child.

The child seat has a bottom, a back, a frame, a belt, a tray, a closingstrap, a hood and an attachment mechanism for securing the child seat toan adult seat. In a compact position, the child seat bottom is in araised position, the tray is in a raised position and the attachmentmechanism may be loosened.

In a deployed position, the child seat bottom is in a lowered positionsupported on the horizontal surface of an adult seat. The hooks of theattachment mechanism are placed over the back of the adult seat back.The user secures the attachment mechanism to the back of the adult seat.The hooks are adjustable vertically to configure to adult seat backsrests of differing heights. The attachment mechanism is also adjustablehorizontally to ensure that the hooks do not intrude into the spacebehind the adult seat. If the child seat is used frequently on the sameadult seat, the hooks need not be adjusted for each use, but rather thechild seat may be placed over the adult seat with the attachmentmechanism in a pre-adjusted state.

The child seat bottom may be made of a lightweight flexible materialbecause, in a lowered position, the child seat bottom is supported bythe underlying adult seat surface. This enables the child seat to be alighter weight.

The tray is for providing a convenient multi-purpose surface near thechild. The tray may have hooks for attaching children's toys andpreventing the child from throwing the toys out of reach. In oneembodiment, the tray may have a screen for displaying video. In anotherembodiment, the tray may have an interactive touchscreen.

The child seat back has headrest wings for laterally supporting achild's head. The child seat back is attached to or incorporates a childseat frame for supporting the child seat. The child seat also has asecuring device or cable for securing the child seat to an adult seat.The cable hooks to the top of the child seat and is wrapped around theback of the adult seat and under the bottom of the adult seat and hooksto a bottom anchor on the child seat bottom.

The child seat also has a hood that is extendable, from the top of thechild seat, in an arched fashion over the child seat. The hood providesprivacy for the seated child. It also provides shade from the sun orprotection from rain when the child seat is used outside.

Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention willbecome readily apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a child seat of the presentinvention in a deployed position with the hood removed;

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the child seat in a deployedposition;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the child seat in a compactposition;

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a hook and a connection area of thechild seat;

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view of a hook and connection area of thechild seat; and

FIG. 6 is a side view of a lateral adjustment device of the child seat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many differentforms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein indetail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that thepresent disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of theprinciples of the invention and is not intended to limit the inventionto the specific embodiments illustrated.

The Overall System

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 show one embodiment of a child seat 100. The childseat comprises a bottom 110, a back 120, a hood 123, a tray 130, a belt140, a closing strap 151, a frame 170, and an attachment mechanism 160for securing the child seat 100 to an adult seat 101.

Deployed and Compact Positions

The child seat has a deployed position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, wherethe child seat 100 is placed on and secured to an adult seat 101. Thechild seat also has a compact position, as shown in FIG. 3, fortransporting or moving the child seat. The adult seat may comprise anyseat, chair, church pew, bench, stadium seating, movie theatre seating,or another structure with a seat-like configuration. A seat-likeconfiguration has two surfaces that meet at an angle. The angle need notbe a ninety degree angle. When the child seat 100 is in a deployedposition the child seat bottom 110 is in a lowered position. In acompact position, the tray 130 is in a raised position and the childseat bottom 110 is in a raised position.

The child seat bottom 110 may be secured in the raised position by theclosing strap 151. The closing strap is connected to the child seatbottom 110. In one embodiment, the strap receiver 153 is located on thechild seat back 120. In another embodiment, the strap receiver may beconnected to the top 124 of the child seat back 120, the top backposition 128 of the child seat back 120, or the frame 170. The closingstrap 151 may use a snap button 152 and button receiver 154. The closingstrap 151 and receiver 153 may also use hook and loop fasteners, such asVELCRO.

When the child seat 100 is in a deployed position, the child seat bottom110 is in a lowered position. In a lowered position, the child seatbottom 110 lays against a supporting surface 102, such as the horizontalsurface or the bottom of an adult seat. The bottom 102 is connected orintersects with an upwardly extending surface or adult seat back 103.The child seat bottom 110 moves between the raised position and thelowered position in the direction G shown in FIG. 3. The tray 130 may bein the raised or a lowered position, when the child seat 100 is in adeployed position.

Child Seat Bottom

In one embodiment, the bottom 110 may be made of flexible, softmaterial. The bottom 110 need not be supported by hard material becausethe underlying adult seat surface 102 will support the bottom when in alowered position. This reduces the weight of the child seat 100. In oneembodiment, the material on the bottom 110 a (FIG. 3) of the child seatbottom 110 may be a non-slick material, so that it will not slide on asmooth underlying adult seat surface 102.

The Tray

The tray 130 is attached to the frame 170 of the child seat 100 by twotray arms 131, 132. The tray 130 has a raised position and a loweredposition. The tray is movable between the raised and the loweredposition in the direction E of FIGS. 2 and 3. The tray may have alocking mechanism in a pivot mechanism 135 where the tray arms 131, 132connect to the frame 170. The locking mechanism may be released bypressing a release button 135 a. In another embodiment, the pivotmechanism 135 may have a series of resistance points along the arch E,which prevent the tray from moving past the resistance points withoutuse of an overcoming force. The overcoming force must be greater thangravitational force. In another embodiment, the tray may pivot downwardto a stop point where the tray is in a lowered position. In anotherembodiment the lowered position may comprise the tray beingsubstantially perpendicular to the back 120 or substantially parallel tothe supporting adult seat surface 102 or the ground. In anotherembodiment, the tray may be above the top of the back 120, as shown inFIG. 3, when the tray is in the raised position. In another embodiment,the tray may be secured in a raised position with a strap (not shown)connected between the tray 130 and the top of the back 120.

In one embodiment, when the tray is in a lowered position, the tray maypivot about a tray pivot point 135. The tray pivot point remains at thesame vertical location, allowing the tray to be more conveniently angledfor the child.

The tray may comprise a number of attachment points 133. The attachmentpoints may comprise hooks. Toys and other items that a child may playwith may be attached directly to the hooks or may be attached with astring. These attachment points 133 allow toys to be secured to the trayso that the child does not throw them out of reach.

The tray may comprise a video screen 134. The video screen may be placedanywhere on the top surface of the tray. The video screen 134 may beprotected by a transparent protective layer. The video screen may be anyelectronic screen capable of displaying images and or video. In anotherembodiment, the video screen may comprise an interactive touch screen.The screen 134 may be for entertaining or educating the child.

Electronics may be contained within the tray 130 or the child seat 100for supporting the operation of the screen 134 or other electroniccomponents of the child seat. The electronics of the child seat maycontain pre-programmed videos or interactive programs. The child seatmay comprise an electronics port 136. The port 136 may comprise a mediacard reader, such as a Secure Digital (SD) card reader. The port 136 mayalso receive an electronic connection, such as a universal serial bus(USB) or IEEE 1394 connection, for receiving information or data fromanother device.

Child Seat, Headrest Wings, and Frame

The child seat back 120 has two headrest wings 121, 122. The wings areadjustable radially inward toward the middle of the back 120, as shownin the F direction of FIG. 2, to laterally support a child's head. Inone embodiment, the wings 121, 122 have a home position where they aresubstantially co-planar with the child seat back 120. In anotherembodiment, the wings may be in a home position when the child seat isin a compact position. In a fully extended position, the wings may be atan angle greater than 45 degrees from the plane occupied by the childseat back. The headrest wings 121, 122 displaced from a vertical midline120 a of the back portion in opposite lateral directions. In oneembodiment, the headrest wings 121, 122 are displaced an equal distancefrom a vertical midline 120 a of the back portion in opposite lateraldirections. The child seat back 120 is comprised of a strong materialfor supporting the child seat. The strong material may be covered by asofter material for cushioning the child user. The soft material iscovered by a covering fabric. The strong material is attached to orintegrated with the child seat frame 170. The child seat frame may becomposed of metal, hard plastic, carbon fiber, or other strong material.In one embodiment, the frame is made of material that is both strong andlightweight so that weight is reduced.

Child Seat Belt

The child seat 100 has a belt 140 for securing a child in the childseat, when the child seat 100 is in a deployed position. In oneembodiment, the belt may comprise two side belts 143, 141, and a centerbelt 142. The two side belts and the center belt connect with aconnector 144. The connector 144 may be a buckle or other known methodsof connecting belts. The belts 141, 142, 143 may, but need not be,connected at the horizontal center of the child seat back 120. Theconnector 144 may be adjustable, where excess belt lengths 141 a, 142 a,143 a, of the belts 141, 142, 143 are folded back on the belts 141, 142,143 as a result of adjustment at the connector 144. In anotherembodiment, the belt 140 may only comprise one belt that extends fromone side of the child seat 100 to connect at a connector on the oppositeside of the child seat. In another embodiment, the belt 140 may onlycomprise two belts. The belt may be adjustable to secure different sizechildren in the child seat. The belt may also comprise other knownmethods of securing a child within a child seat.

Attachment Mechanism

The attachment mechanism 160 comprises two hooks 161, 162, and a lateraladjustment device 173. FIG. 2 shows that the hooks 161, 162 are attachedto the frame 170 and extend vertically, arch over the top 103 b of theadult seat back 103, and extend downward a distance on the back side 103a of the adult seat back 103. The hooks have an upper inside surface 161b, 162 b along with a first inside surface 161 c, 162 c and anoppositely facing second inside surface 161 a, 162 a. The upper insidesurface 161 b, 162 b engages the top 103 b of the seat back and theoppositely facing second inside surface engages the back side 103 a ofthe seat back 103 when the lateral adjustment device 173 fully engagesthe adult seat back 103. The hooks 161, 162 are adjustably attached tothe frame 170. The hooks are adjustable in the vertical “A” direction asshown in FIG. 2. FIGS. 4 and 5 show one embodiment of the adjustableconnection between the hooks 161, 162 and the frame 170. The hooks enterat the connection area 175 of the frame 170. The connection area 175 maycomprise a receiving member 175 a. The top of the receiving member 175 ahas a compression ring 171. The hooks have a connection end 161 a. Theconnection end moves vertically in the “A” direction within thereceiving member 175 a.

In one embodiment, the hooks are rotatable within the receiving member.The hook 161 is rotatable so that the end portion of the hook 161, whichcorresponds to the second inside surface 161 a, is movable towards oraway from the vertical midline 120 a of the child seat. The hook 162 isrotatable so that the end portion of the hook 162, which corresponds tothe second inside surface 162 a, is movable towards or away from thecenter of the child seat. This rotational movement allows the hooks 161,162 to be moved closure to the seat for compact transportation orstorage. The hooks may be locked in position by tightening thecompression ring 171. Alternatively, the hooks may also be secured byother known devices for locking the rotational movement of a shaft.

In operation, the hooks are placed over the adult seat back 103 and thechild seat bottom 110 is put in a lowered position, the bottom 110 layson the underlying adult seat surface 102. The hooks are adjustedvertically so that the hooks 161, 162 rest on the top 103 b of the adultseat back 103. When the hooks are so adjusted, a user tightens thetightening mechanism 177, which compresses the compression ring 171 andpresses the top of the receiving member 175 a against the connection end161 a of the hook 161. The compression prevents the vertical movement ofthe hook relative to the frame 170, therefore securing the child seat100 in position on the adult seat 101. In another embodiment, the childseat 100 may comprise any known method of adjustably connecting avertically movable member, such as the hooks, to a frame 170.

If the child seat is repeatedly used on the same or similarly sizedadult seat 101, then the hooks need not be adjusted after the initiallyadjustment. The child seat 100 may be placed on the adult seat 101 readyfor deployment with the hooks in a preadjusted condition. The child seat100 may also comprise different size hook pairs, selectively insertableinto the frame 170 to accommodate different sized adult seat backs 103.

Referring to FIG. 6, the lateral adjustment device 174 comprises ahandle 176 attached to a shaft 173, and an engaging member 172. In oneembodiment the shaft is threaded. At least one of the hooks contains anadjustment receiving hole 161 c that is threaded to receive the threads173 a of the shaft 173. The engaging member 172 is located at an end ofthe shaft 173 opposite the handle.

In operation, after the hooks are adjusted to be in contact with the top103 b of the adult seat back 103, the lateral adjustment mechanism isadjusted so that the internal side 162 c (FIG. 2) of the hook 162contacts the backside 103 a of the adult seat back 103. The internalside 162 c of the hook may comprise a rubber or other cushioningmaterial to protect the adult seat 101 and to prevent the hooks fromsliding. If the backside 103 a of the adult seat back 103 is flat theadjustment may occur until the internal side 162 c of the hook 162 isflush against the backside 103 a of the adult seat back 103. When thehooks contact the backside 103 a of the adult seat back 103 they do notintrude into the space of the person occupying the seats or space behindthe adult seat 101 with the child seat 100. The adjustment mechanism maysecure the child seat 100 such that the back 120 ends slightly above theadult seat bottom 102 so as to allow for adult seats 101 with a curvedintersection between the adult seat back 103 and the adult seat bottom102.

If the shaft is threaded with positive threads, turning the handle 176clockwise will move the engaging member 172 in the B direction towardthe adult seat back 103. At the same time, turning the handle clockwisewill move the hooks and an upper portion of the frame opposite of the Bdirection, causing the internal sides 162 c of the hooks to contact thebackside 103 a of the adult seat back 103. The engaging member 172 ispivotably attached to the shaft 173. This pivot attachment allows theengaging member 172 to pivot in the X direction and the Y direction soas to more fully contact the adult seat back 103.

Securing Device

The child seat 100 also may comprise a securing device or cable 180. Thecable 180, as shown in FIG. 2, has a hook 181, 182 at each end of thecable. One hook 181 connects to a top anchor 183. In operation, tosecure the child seat 100 to a adult seat 101, the cable is wrappedaround the back of the adult seat 101 and under the bottom 102 of theadult seat 101 so that the second hook 192 connects to a bottom anchor184. The cable is normally secured around the adult seat 101 after thehooks 161, 162, and the lateral adjustment device 174 are properlyadjusted for a given adult seat 101.

The bottom anchor 184 is carried by the child seat bottom 110. In oneembodiment, the bottom anchor 184 may be attached to the front edge ofthe child seat bottom 110 or it may be attached to the closing strap151. The top anchor 184 is carried by a top area of the frame 170. Inone embodiment the top anchor may be connected to a portion of a hook.

Hood

The child seat 100 may comprise a hood 123 as shown in FIG. 2. The hoodhas a retracted position and an extended position. The extended positionis shown in FIG. 2. The hood moves from a retracted position to anextended position in the C direction. The extended position providesprivacy for the seated child. The hood in an extended position may alsoprovide shade from the sun or protection from rain when the child seat100 is used outside.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations andmodifications may be effected without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation withrespect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended orshould be inferred.

1. The child seat for attaching to a support structure having a bottomportion and an upwardly extending portion, comprising: a frame connectedto a back portion; the back portion operatively connected to the bottomportion, the bottom portion pivotably movable with respect to the backportion between a lowered position and a raised position; and anattachment mechanism connected to the frame and securably adjustable inthe upward direction to extend over the support structure.
 2. The childseat of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion comprises a closing deviceconnected to the bottom portion and connectable to an upper portion ofthe seat to secure the bottom portion in the raised position.
 3. Thechild seat of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises anupward support configured to support the seat in a predefined verticalposition with respect to the support structure.
 4. The seat of claim 1,wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a hook extendably connectedto the frame and a hook securing device, the hook having at least afirst position and an extended position, the hook being a greaterdistance from the frame when in the extended position than when in thefirst position.
 5. The seat of claim 1, wherein the attachment mechanismcomprises a lateral adjustment device movable relative to an oppositelyfacing inside engagement surface of the attachment mechanism andconfigured to engage the support structure between the lateraladjustment device and the oppositely facing inside engagement surface.6. The seat of claim 1, wherein the bottom portion comprises a flexiblematerial conformable to the support structure.
 7. The seat of claim 1,wherein the bottom portion comprises an anti-slip surface configured toengaging the support structure when the bottom portion is in the loweredposition.
 8. The seat of claim 1, wherein the back portion comprisesheadrest wings displaced from a vertical midline of the back portion inopposite lateral directions, the headrest wings movable between aretraced position and an extended position, outer lateral portions ofthe headrest wings being further apart when in the retracted positionthan when in the extended position.
 9. The seat of claim 1, comprising atray connected to the frame, the tray movable between a raised positionand a lowered position, the tray spaced from the seat back when in thelowered position.
 10. The seat of claim 9, wherein the tray comprises avideo display unit.
 11. The seat of claim 1, comprising a securingdevice connectable to a top portion of the frame at one end and an outerend of the bottom portion at an opposite end to secure the seat aroundan outside surface of the support structure.
 12. The seat of claim 1,comprising a retractable hood having a retracted position and anextended position, the hood extending over a portion of the seat when inthe extended position.
 13. A child seat, comprising: a frame connectedto a back portion; a back portion operatively connected to the bottomportion; an attachment mechanism connected to the frame and having asupport member extending laterally away from the back portion andconfigured to extend over the top of an external support structure, thesupport member adjustably extendable in the upward direction.
 14. Thechild seat of claim 13, comprising a deployed position and a compactposition; the bottom having a raised position corresponding to thecompact position and a lowered position corresponding to the deployedposition; a tray having a raised position corresponding to the compactposition and a lowered position corresponding to the deployed position.15. The child seat of claim 13, wherein the bottom portion comprises alowered position and a raised position, the bottom having an uppersurface, the upper surface facing the back portion when in the raisedposition.
 16. The seat of claim 13, wherein the support member comprisesa hook extendably connected to the frame and a hook securing device, thehook having a plurality of positions comprising at least a firstposition and an extended position, the hook being a greater distancefrom the frame when in the extended position than when in the firstposition.
 17. The seat of claim 13, wherein the attachment mechanismcomprises a lateral adjustment device movable relative to an oppositelyfacing inside engagement surface of the support and configured to engagean external support structure between the lateral adjustment device andthe oppositely facing inside engagement surface.
 18. The seat of claim13, wherein the bottom portion comprises a flexible material having abottom surface conformable to an external support structure.
 19. Theseat of claim 13, comprising: a deployed position and a compactposition; the bottom having a raised position corresponding to thecompact position and a lowered position corresponding to the deployedposition; a tray having a raised position corresponding to the compactposition and a lowered position corresponding to the deployed position;and the back portion comprises headrest wings displaced from a verticalmidline of the back portion in opposite lateral direction, the headrestwings movable between a retraced position and an extended position,outer lateral portions of the headrest wings being further apart when inthe retracted position than when in the extended position; and thesupport comprises a hook extendably connected to the frame and a hooksecuring device, the hook having a plurality of positions at leastcomprising a first position and an extended position, the hook being agreater distance from the frame when in the extended position than whenin the first position; and the attachment mechanism comprises a lateraladjustment device movable relative to an oppositely facing insideengagement surface of the support and configured to engage a externalsupport structure between the lateral adjustment device and theoppositely facing inside engagement surface; and the bottom portioncomprises a flexible material conformable to an external supportstructure.
 20. A child seat, comprising: a frame connected to a backportion; a back portion connected to the bottom portion; an attachmentmeans for both vertically and laterally securing the frame to anexternal support structure, the attachment means securably adjustable inthe vertical direction, the attachment means securably adjustable in thelateral direction.